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Friday, August 23, 2013

Sisters

Yesterday, Hubby and I did the "dock and dine" thing in Castine, Maine. If you've been there in the past twenty years or so, you know there is only one venue for lunch...Dennett's Wharf. So that's where we ended up--the home of the organic lobsters and the naked oysters, the dollar bills sling-shotted into the ceiling and the bronze statues of sea monsters on the bar. Yup, Tourist Food at its best.

While Hubby chowed down on his fried fish sandwich and I gagged on an over-dressed Caesar Salad, I was distracted by a family of five two tables over from ours. Mom and Dad were engrossed in lunch-out-on-vacation and the three kids--two girls and a boy--were left to their own amusements. I found out later, the boy was the middle child, 6 years old. He was all about the iphone. Ear buds and music seemed to have his whole attention. It was the sisters, 8 and 3 years old, that captivated me.

The three year old poppet, was wearing a layered, pink dress, pink and white striped pantaloons, and pink mary-jane shoes--almost too cute. It was a perfect outfit for her. She tossed her head of ringlets and giggled as she skipped around the table, very animated. Her older sister wore a mini skirt, sleeveless top and flip flops with a flower on the strap. Her hair was cut in a bob. Together, the two girls played out an imaginary drama involving lots of hand movements, looks over-the-shoulders, bouncing in rhythms of varying tempos, and soft singing as they sat face-to-face, straddling the picnic table bench.

As I watched, my mind turned to my sister and I. We are about the same age ratio as the two in the restaurant. I thought of the two as they get older. When they are in high school, college, young marrieds, and old ladies. The whole interlude made me miss my sister and revel in the love we have had for each other over the years and continue to enjoy as we get older. What a special gift.

Sisterhood is not something everyone gets to appreciate. I have been blessed with a wonderful sister. Heather, I love you. God bless and keep you. (We also share a favourite brother.)